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Carla is the head [[nurse]] at Sacred Heart Hospital,<ref name="hisstory4">{{cite episode |title=His Story IV |episodelink=His Story IV |series=Scrubs |serieslink=Scrubs (TV series) |credits= |network=NBC |station= |airdate=2007-02-01 |season=6 |number=7 |minutes= }}</ref> in which the main action of the show takes place.
Carla is the head [[nurse]] at Sacred Heart Hospital,<ref name="hisstory4">{{cite episode |title=His Story IV |episodelink=His Story IV |series=Scrubs |serieslink=Scrubs (TV series) |credits= |network=NBC |station= |airdate=2007-02-01 |season=6 |number=7 |minutes= }}</ref> in which the main action of the show takes place.


She is prone to overreaction and constantly feels the need to tell friends and co-workers how to go about their lives (most notably the series' main character, [[J.D. (Scrubs)|J.D.]]) and this advice is often unwanted, if not simply intrusive. She is also obsessed with spreading gossip, and when she swore not to spread a secret about [[Elliot Reid]], she walks through the hospital reception awkwardly avoiding answering questions; when [[Janitor (Scrubs)|Janitor]] asks of Elliot's whereabouts, she replies: "cheese". She calls bossing people around "her [[crack cocaine|crack]]" in the fifth season. Despite her personal foibles, no one dares make fun of her; when anyone does, she humiliates them in front of the entire hospital; this regime is briefly altered in one episode, where in a failed attempt to retain her dignity Carla says that she allows her friends to make fun of her, resulting in them all doing so.
She is seen to be left-handed in the Episode "My Dirty Secret."

Though Carla lived in Chicago throughout her childhood, her family originates from the [[Dominican Republic]] and she is fluent in [[Spanish language|Spanish]], making her heritage Afro- Latina.

She is prone to overreaction and constantly feels the need to tell friends and co-workers how to go about their lives (most notably the series' main character, [[J.D. (Scrubs)|J.D.]]) and this advice is often unwanted, if not simply intrusive. She is also obsessed with spreading gossip, and when she swore not to spread a secret about [[Elliot Reid]], she walks through the hospital reception awkwardly avoiding answering questions; when [[Janitor (Scrubs)|Janitor]] asks of Elliot's whereabouts, she replies: "cheese". She calls bossing people around "her [[crack cocaine|crack]]" in the fifth season. Despite her personal foibles, no one dares make fun of her; when anyone does, she humiliates them in front of the entire hospital; this regime is briefly altered in one episode, where in a failed attempt to retain her dignity Carla says that she allows her friends to make fun of her. After several jokes about her, she loses her temper with [[Doug Murphy]].


==Family life==
==Family life==


Carla was born in the [[Dominican Republic]] but moved to [[Chicago]] whilst still a child. All her family is from the [[Dominican Republic]], despite Turk's frequent and incorrect assertions that she is [[Mexico|Mexican]] or [[Puerto Rico|Puerto Rican]] and The Todd's assertions that she is black. It is revealed in Season 5 that she is 36. It is also revealed in the episode "[[His Story]]" that Carla's father ran out on the family when Carla was a child.
Carla was born in the [[Dominican Republic]] but moved to [[Chicago]] whilst still a child. All her family is from the [[Dominican Republic]], despite Turk's frequent and incorrect assertions that she is [[Mexico|Mexican]] or [[Puerto Rico|Puerto Rican]]. It is revealed in Season 5 that she is 36. It is also revealed in the episode "[[His Story]]" that Carla's father ran out on the family when Carla was a child.


Carla starts dating [[Christopher Turk]] in the show's second episode, "[[My Mentor]]". They have been together for almost the entire run of the show, and constantly prove to have a solid relationship. Carla marries Turk in the season finale of season 3, "[[My Best Friend's Wedding (Scrubs)|My Best Friend's Wedding]]". However, Carla frequently says that she wishes Turk was as close to her as he is to J.D., and admits to having nightmares where the two run away together. Carla is initially hesitant to accept Turk's proposal in Season 2. Earlier, after an intense argument, Turk is relegated to J.D.'s room.<ref name="MyOverkill">{{cite episode
Carla starts dating [[Christopher Turk]] in the show's second episode, "[[My Mentor]]". They have been together for almost the entire run of the show, and constantly prove to have a solid relationship. Carla marries Turk in the season finale of season 3, "[[My Best Friend's Wedding (Scrubs)|My Best Friend's Wedding]]". She and Turk go through a trial separation in season 4, after Carla discovers that Turk is still talking to his ex-girlfriend without telling her he is married. She moves in with Elliot for a while. Following some couples' therapy and some frank discussions with Turk and J.D., however, the couple reunite and immediately begin trying to conceive. Initially, they are unsuccessful, but finally get [[pregnant]] toward the end of the season after several episodes are spent on Turk and Carla worrying about their respective fertility. Carla gives birth to a baby girl, whom they name Isabella, in the episode "[[My Best Friend's Baby's Baby and My Baby's Baby]]". J.D. becomes the godfather of the child.
| title = My Overkill | episodelink = My Overkill | series = Scrubs
| serieslink = Scrubs (TV series) | network = NBC | airdate = 2002-09-26
| season = 2 | number = 01 }}</ref>
She and Turk go through a trial separation in season 4, after Carla discovers that Turk is still talking to his ex-girlfriend without telling her he is married. She moves in with Elliot for a while. Following some couples' therapy and some frank discussions with Turk and J.D., however, the couple reunite and immediately begin trying to conceive. Initially, they are unsuccessful, but finally get [[pregnant]] toward the end of the season after several episodes are spent on Turk and Carla worrying about their respective fertility. They hit another bump when Turk does not find a pregnant Carla attractive; this changes after she receives maternity lingerie from Elliot. Carla gives birth to a baby girl, whom they name Isabella, in the episode "[[My Best Friend's Baby's Baby and My Baby's Baby]]". J.D. becomes the godfather of the child.


She has two sisters (one of whom gets her eye brow waxed off by Elliot during the preparations for Carla's wedding) and a brother named Marco ([[Freddy Rodriguez]]) who hates Turk, and who for years pretended he was unable to speak [[English language|English]] in front of Carla. One of the sisters is a [[model (person)|model]].<ref name="MySexBudd">{{cite episode
She has two sisters (one of whom gets her eye brow waxed off by Elliot during the preparations for Carla's wedding) and a brother named Marco ([[Freddy Rodriguez]]) who hates Turk, and who for years pretended he was unable to speak [[English language|English]] in front of Carla. Her mother, who also hates Turk, dies in the episode "[[My Drama Queen]]".
| title = My Sex Buddy | episodelink = My Sex Buddy | series = Scrubs
| serieslink = Scrubs (TV series) | network = NBC | airdate = 2003-01-02
| season = 2 | number = 11 }}</ref> Her mother, who also hates Turk, dies in the episode "[[My Drama Queen]]".


==Relationships with other characters==
==Relationships with other characters==
Line 50: Line 39:
| title = My Roommates | episodelink = My Roommates| series = Scrubs
| title = My Roommates | episodelink = My Roommates| series = Scrubs
| serieslink = Scrubs (TV series) | network = NBC | airdate = 2005-02-22
| serieslink = Scrubs (TV series) | network = NBC | airdate = 2005-02-22
| season = 4 | number = 18 }}</ref>
| season = 4 | number = 18 }}</ref> In a later episode, Turk asks J.D. to help him and Carla out in their relationship trouble, but she and J.D. end up getting drunk and kiss each other.<ref name="MyLipsSealed">{{cite episode
| title = My Lips Are Sealed | episodelink = My Lips Are Sealed | series = Scrubs
| serieslink = Scrubs (TV series) | network = NBC | airdate = 2005-04-05
| season = 4 | number = 21 }}</ref>


===Elliot===
===Elliot===
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While they are close, however, their relationship is not without friction; Carla sometimes resents Elliot's [[neurosis|neurotic]] perfectionism and (unintended) condescension about her family background. In "[[My Lucky Charm (Scrubs)|My Lucky Charm]]", the two get into a vicious "[[catfight]]" (much to the delight of the male employees) over what had started as a disagreement over who an attractive male visitor likes better.
While they are close, however, their relationship is not without friction; Carla sometimes resents Elliot's [[neurosis|neurotic]] perfectionism and (unintended) condescension about her family background. In "[[My Lucky Charm (Scrubs)|My Lucky Charm]]", the two get into a vicious "[[catfight]]" (much to the delight of the male employees) over what had started as a disagreement over who an attractive male visitor likes better.


Although Elliot is not originally on the list of invited guests to Turk and Carla's wedding, she subsequently is revealed to be a bridesmaid. Later on, Carla says that she feels closer to Elliot than she does to her own sisters.<ref name="MyBestFriendsWedding">{{cite episode
Elliot is a bridesmaid at Carla and Turk's wedding, before the ceremony, Carla says that she feels closer to Elliot than she does to her own sisters.<ref name="MyBestFriendsWedding">{{cite episode
| title = My Best Friend's Wedding | episodelink = My Best Friend's Wedding | series = Scrubs
| title = My Best Friend's Wedding | episodelink = My Best Friend's Wedding | series = Scrubs
| serieslink = Scrubs (TV series) | network = NBC | airdate = 2004-05-04
| serieslink = Scrubs (TV series) | network = NBC | airdate = 2004-05-04
Line 69: Line 55:


===Dr. Cox===
===Dr. Cox===
Chief Attending Physician [[Perry Cox|Dr. Perry Cox]] has always had a soft spot for Carla, as she is not afraid to stand up to him. Cox claims that Carla is the only one who 'gets him' and is often very protective of her. During the first season, it is revealed that Dr. Cox is madly in love with Carla, but since she is with Turk, he does nothing about it. When Carla confesses how fearful she is of being a parent in "[[My Way Home]]", Cox happily tells Carla that he knows she'll be a terrific mother.<ref name="MyWayHome">{{cite episode
[[Perry Cox|Dr. Perry Cox]] has always had a soft spot for Carla, as she is not afraid to stand up to him. Cox claims that Carla is the only one who 'gets him' and is often very protective of her. During the first season, it is revealed that Dr. Cox is madly in love with Carla, but since she is with Turk, he does nothing about it. When Carla confesses how fearful she is of being a parent in "[[My Way Home]]", Cox happily tells Carla that he knows she'll be a terrific mother.<ref name="MyWayHome">{{cite episode
| title = My Way Home | episodelink = My Way Home | series = Scrubs
| title = My Way Home | episodelink = My Way Home | series = Scrubs
| serieslink = Scrubs (TV series) | network = NBC | airdate = 2006-01-24
| serieslink = Scrubs (TV series) | network = NBC | airdate = 2006-01-24
| season = 5 | number = 07 }}</ref>
| season = 5 | number = 07 }}</ref>

===Ted===
In many episodes, Carla is seen calling on [[Ted Buckland]], Sacred Heart's [[milquetoast]] [[attorney]], to assist with legal matters. Ted seems to be in love with her; he once admits it to her (she doesn't hear him), and even asks at one point how exclusive her relationship with Turk is. Ted's ''[[a cappella]]'' band also sings at Turk and Carla's wedding, and the "[[Chili's]]" theme at her baby shower. In the episode "[[My Interpretation]]," Carla has a sex dream in which Turk turns into Ted.

===Janitor===
Carla is assumed to be the only person in the hospital whom [[Janitor (Scrubs)|the Janitor]] fears. The Janitor has put down almost every other person in the hospital, including his own boss, [[Bob Kelso]], but doesn't dare go near Carla after she repeatedly stands up for other members of the hospital in front of him. Janitor's fear of Carla originates when she threatens to force-feed him a cup of [[urine]]. <ref name="MyJourney">{{cite episode
| title = My Journey | episodelink = My Journey | series = Scrubs
| serieslink = Scrubs (TV series) | network = NBC | airdate = 2003-10-09
| season = 3 | number = 02 }}</ref> The Janitor, however, is not above subjecting her to his special brand of [[torture]] on certain occasions, such as when he deliberately ruins her hospital picture because while she coerced many other hospital workers to be in the photo, she failed to ask the Janitor, and when he made her self-conscious by giving a younger nurse the nickname “Young Carla”.<ref name="HerStory2">{{cite episode
| title = Her Story II | episodelink = Her Story II | series = Scrubs
| serieslink = Scrubs (TV series) | network = NBC | airdate = 2006-02-07
| season = 5 | number = 10 }}</ref> He has also [[blackmail]]ed her in an attempt to sell her baby, but later settles for dance lessons after she frames him as having stolen Rowdy.<ref name="MyScrubs">{{cite episode
| title = My Scrubs | episodelink = My Scrubs | series = Scrubs
| serieslink = Scrubs (TV series) | network = NBC | airdate = 2007-03-15
| season = 6 | number = 13 }}</ref>

===Nurse Roberts===

[[Laverne Roberts]] was a fellow nurse, and Carla's friend. They enjoyed making fun of the doctors together. There are few occasions when these two fell out, but when Carla started sharing a lift to work with Dr. Kelso, Laverne loses her respect for Carla. This problem is quickly resolved when Kelso returns to the enemy and is mean to Carla about some inadequate paperwork she has completed.
When Laverne died in "[[My Long Goodbye]]", Carla spent a long time trying to wish her friend farewell, and accept that she has passed away. She spends a day being followed by the memory of her friend, and this memory only disappears when Carla finally says goodbye. When she says goodbye, she breaks down into tears, reminiscing over the many years that they spent together. Only after this, does Laverne die.
In "[[My Words of Wisdom]]", Carla is upset that everyone has moved on so quickly after her funeral, but realizes that even if people appeared to have forgotten her, she was still a part of their lives.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 15:51, 16 September 2008

Carla Espinosa Turk
File:Carla Espinosa.jpg
First appearance"My First Day"
Created byBill Lawrence
Portrayed byJudy Reyes
In-universe information
GenderFemale
TitleCharge Nurse
OccupationNurse
FamilyMarco Espinosa (brother), two unnamed sisters, Aunt Marie, Mrs. Espinosa (Aunt Marie's sister and Carla's mother, deceased)
SpouseChristopher Turk (husband)
ChildrenIsabella Turk (daughter)

Carla Espinosa is a fictional character in the American comedy-drama Scrubs, portrayed by Judy Reyes.

Profile

Carla is the head nurse at Sacred Heart Hospital,[1] in which the main action of the show takes place.

She is prone to overreaction and constantly feels the need to tell friends and co-workers how to go about their lives (most notably the series' main character, J.D.) and this advice is often unwanted, if not simply intrusive. She is also obsessed with spreading gossip, and when she swore not to spread a secret about Elliot Reid, she walks through the hospital reception awkwardly avoiding answering questions; when Janitor asks of Elliot's whereabouts, she replies: "cheese". She calls bossing people around "her crack" in the fifth season. Despite her personal foibles, no one dares make fun of her; when anyone does, she humiliates them in front of the entire hospital; this regime is briefly altered in one episode, where in a failed attempt to retain her dignity Carla says that she allows her friends to make fun of her, resulting in them all doing so.

Family life

Carla was born in the Dominican Republic but moved to Chicago whilst still a child. All her family is from the Dominican Republic, despite Turk's frequent and incorrect assertions that she is Mexican or Puerto Rican. It is revealed in Season 5 that she is 36. It is also revealed in the episode "His Story" that Carla's father ran out on the family when Carla was a child.

Carla starts dating Christopher Turk in the show's second episode, "My Mentor". They have been together for almost the entire run of the show, and constantly prove to have a solid relationship. Carla marries Turk in the season finale of season 3, "My Best Friend's Wedding". She and Turk go through a trial separation in season 4, after Carla discovers that Turk is still talking to his ex-girlfriend without telling her he is married. She moves in with Elliot for a while. Following some couples' therapy and some frank discussions with Turk and J.D., however, the couple reunite and immediately begin trying to conceive. Initially, they are unsuccessful, but finally get pregnant toward the end of the season after several episodes are spent on Turk and Carla worrying about their respective fertility. Carla gives birth to a baby girl, whom they name Isabella, in the episode "My Best Friend's Baby's Baby and My Baby's Baby". J.D. becomes the godfather of the child.

She has two sisters (one of whom gets her eye brow waxed off by Elliot during the preparations for Carla's wedding) and a brother named Marco (Freddy Rodriguez) who hates Turk, and who for years pretended he was unable to speak English in front of Carla. Her mother, who also hates Turk, dies in the episode "My Drama Queen".

Relationships with other characters

J.D.

Carla's pet name for J.D. during his time as an intern was "Bambi", though it is rarely used anymore. She claims that of all the interns she has worked with, J.D. is the only one whose approval she actually cares about, to the extent that she feigns an interest in black-and-white photography so he would think she is more intelligent.[2]

While Carla sometimes complains that Turk and J.D. are a better couple than she and Turk, there has been no real rivalry between Carla and J.D. for Turk's attention, and both seek to encourage Turk to do the right thing as a husband and friend, respectively. Furthermore, it seems that at times J.D. is a closer friend to Carla than Turk, as he happily gossips with her "like one of the girls".[3]

Elliot

Despite Elliot's best efforts, Carla doesn't feel particularly close to her at first, although they have since become best friends. Series creator Bill Lawrence has said on DVD commentaries that this mirrored Reyes' and Sarah Chalke's real-life relationship.

While they are close, however, their relationship is not without friction; Carla sometimes resents Elliot's neurotic perfectionism and (unintended) condescension about her family background. In "My Lucky Charm", the two get into a vicious "catfight" (much to the delight of the male employees) over what had started as a disagreement over who an attractive male visitor likes better.

Elliot is a bridesmaid at Carla and Turk's wedding, before the ceremony, Carla says that she feels closer to Elliot than she does to her own sisters.[4] During one episode, she fantasized (along with all the other main characters) about marrying Elliot and commented that she thought life would be simpler if she were.[5]

Dr. Cox

Dr. Perry Cox has always had a soft spot for Carla, as she is not afraid to stand up to him. Cox claims that Carla is the only one who 'gets him' and is often very protective of her. During the first season, it is revealed that Dr. Cox is madly in love with Carla, but since she is with Turk, he does nothing about it. When Carla confesses how fearful she is of being a parent in "My Way Home", Cox happily tells Carla that he knows she'll be a terrific mother.[6]

References

  1. ^ "His Story IV". Scrubs. Season 6. Episode 7. 2007-02-01. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "My Nickname". Scrubs. Season 1. Episode 10. 2001-10-27. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "My Roommates". Scrubs. Season 4. Episode 18. 2005-02-22. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "My Best Friend's Wedding". Scrubs. Season 3. Episode 22. 2004-05-04. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "My Cold Shower". Scrubs. Season 6. Episode 19. 2007-05-03. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "My Way Home". Scrubs. Season 5. Episode 07. 2006-01-24. NBC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)